a

r
X
i
v
:
1
0
1
0
.
1
4
4
0
v
1


[
p
h
y
s
i
c
s
.
g
e
n
-
p
h
]


7

O
c
t

2
0
1
0
1
Franck-Hertz experiment in magnetic eld
Ying Weng
1
, Zi-Hua Weng
2
1
College of Chemistry & Chemical Engineering,
Xiamen University, Xiamen 361005, China
2
School of Physics and Mechanical & Electrical Engineering,
Xiamen University, Xiamen 361005, China
Abstract The paper studies the impact of applied magnetic eld on the inelastic collisions
of electrons with argon atoms. In the electron-argon Franck-Hertz experiment, the inuence of
applied magnetic eld emerges complicated features, and is equivalent to that of the temperature.
In case the accelerating electric intensity becomes strong enough, enlarging magnetic ux density
will be equivalent to the increasing of oven temperature. When the accelerating electric intensity
is very weak and the applied magnetic eld occupies a dominant position, enhancing magnetic ux
density is identical with the decreasing of oven temperature. And the non-uniform distribution
of applied magnetic eld has an inuence on the inelastic collision as well. The study claims that
the inuence of magnetic eld variation is equivalent to that of temperature variety, and that it
leads the electron energy to transfer obviously in the experiment.
1. INTRODUCTION
Franck-Hertz (F-H) experiment is vital to the modern physics, for it conrmed rst the existence
of discrete energy levels in atoms. In 1914, J. Franck and G. Hertz [1] reported an experiment
on the collision of electrons with mercury vapor atoms. The authors observed a stepwise loss of
electron energy in the experiment. N. Bohr in 1915 adverted to the F-H experiment and brought
forward some related advisements. B. Davis and F. S. Goucher [2] in 1917 modied F-H tube to
validate Bohrs predictions about the discrete energy level of gas atoms. In 1919, J. Franck and
G. Hertz rechecked prototype F-H experiment, and claimed to support Bohrs viewpoint. Further,
they improved their classic experimental devices the next year to study the high excitation level.
Subsequently many research experiments [3, 4] have been carried out on the dierent features of
F-H experiment with the mercury vapor, argon gas, and neon gas etc.
In a F-H tube lled with argon gas, the inelastic collisions of electrons with argon atoms will
alter not only collided particles velocity and direction, but also their energies and physics states.
The result is the argon atoms acquire the energy while the electrons loose their energies. Decreasing
the energy will cut down the number of electrons reaching the collector, consequently the collected
current drops. Along with the increasing of electric voltage, the collected current will be oscillated
periodically. And that this variation situation will be repeated again and again. The current
variation is reported to be determined by the emitting voltage, accelerating voltage, retarding
voltage, and temperature etc. Besides those main factors, the magnetic eld is also an important
and even more complicated factor.
By means of the air core solenoid and the permanent magnet, the paper studies the applied
magnetic elds impact on the inelastic collisions of electrons with argon atoms. And the authors
observed a few contrary inuences of applied magnetic ux density on dierent accelerating electric
intensity stages. The results obtained show that the inuence of applied magnetic eld on collected
current emerges complicated features in the experiment.
2. INFLUENCE OF TEMPERATURE
In the electron-argon collision experiment, the increasing of oven temperature enlarges the electron
kinetic energy and collecting current, but it does not vary the mean-free-path of electrons almost.
Therefore the increasing of oven temperature leads testing curves to lift up, while the wave troughs
of testing curves do not shift approximately.
2.1. F-H tube conguration
The tetrode F-H tube used in the experiment is a cylindrical tube lled with argon gas in Figure 1.
The F-H tube conguration includes an indirectly heated cathode K, the heater F, grid G1, grad
2
G2, and collector C. The grids G1 and G2 both are helix rounded by the nickel laments. The G1
coated with the gold is located in the tube center along the cylindrical axis. The distance between
G1 and K is near 0.3 mm. The grad G2 is arranged outside G1 and is 1 mm from the collector C.
The distance between G1 and G2 is shorted to be comparable with the mean-free-path of electron
in the argon gas at operating temperature. The result shows an excellent characteristic curve in
which as many as 6 wave crests can be seen.
The F-H tube is divided into three parts: the emitting region K-G1, the accelerating and collision
region G1-G2, and the retarding region G2-C. Selecting a proper pressure of argon gas, the mean-
free-path of electrons will be slightly larger than the distance between K and G1. Consequently
the electrons will be accelerated without collided in the emitting region. The electrons emitted
from the cathode are accelerated by the voltage applied on the grids G1 and G2. The advantage of
F-H tube conguration is that a large region between G1 and G2 will increase greatly the collision
possibility among electrons and argon atoms. The most electrons collided inelastically with argon
atoms loose a large part of their energies, they can not overcome the retarding electric eld to reach
the collector. Accordingly it drops the collected current. It is clear that when the critical level
of argon atoms are reached, a series of successive wave crests and troughs on the voltage-current
curves will be obtained in the experiment.
2.2. Temperature eect
The F-H tube is located in an oven, which wrapped with an aluminum electrical shield. The oven
temperature is raised to the operating value, and the heater supplies heat to the cathode. A lower
cathode temperature will minimize the disturbance of velocities distribution of thermionic emitted
electrons. During the experiment, the temperatures of oven and heater are kept constantly, since
the collected current is sensitive to these temperatures.
For small accelerating voltages the collected current characteristics of the F-H tube are similar
to that of a tetrode. At certain accelerating voltage, however, the collected current reaches a
maximum. Increasing the accelerating voltage further decreases the collected current as the cross
section for inelastic collision changes with the electron energy. When almost electrons have suered
the inelastic collision, the collected current traverses a minimum, and then it increases again.
It can easily be seen that there are a series of successive wave crests and troughs on the testing
curve. In case emitting voltage and retarding voltage both are kept constantly, increasing the oven
temperature lifts up the testing curve. When the oven temperature increases, the mean-free-path
of electron varies slightly and the requested accelerating voltage keeps the same, according to the
formula of mean-free-path of electron, = K
b
T/p. Here K
b
is the Boltzmann constant; T and p
are the systematic temperature and pressure respectively; is the cross section for inelastic collision.
Therefore the each wave trough of testing curves does not shift almost, due to the mean-free-path of
electron keeps the same approximately. Moreover, the testing curves will lift up, because increasing
the oven temperature enlarges the electron kinetic energy and the number of electron reaching the
collector in Figure 2. Besides the temperature and electric intensity, the magnetic ux density has
an inuence on the electron-argon inelastic collision in F-H experiment also.
F
K G
1
G
2
C
1 mm 0.3 mm
5 mm
Figure 1: Cross-section sketch of a F-H tube with
the cylindrical conguration. This tube lled with
argon gas includes the heater F, cathode K, grid
G1, grid G2, and collector C.
Figure 2: Increasing oven temperatures enlarge
the electron kinetic energy and lead the voltage-
current curves to lift up. V
f
= 3.75V, V
G1K
=
0.7V, V
G2C
= 7V . T = 50
0
C, 70
0
C, and 90
0
C.
3
3. IMPACT OF MAGNETIC FIELD
In the F-H experiment a uniform magnetic eld is applied properly in a direction perpendicular
to the accelerating electric intensity. Wrapping the copper enameled wire on the surface of paper
cylindrical canister to construct a solenoid, which inducing the uniform magnetic eld by applied
electric current I. Firstly, this solenoid is 9cm and longer than the tube length. And it produces
a uniform magnetic eld to eliminate the disturbance of non-uniform distribution of magnetic
eld. The non-uniform distribution of applied magnetic eld may cause the variation of magnetic
potential energy to bother the measure precision. Secondly, the radius of solenoid is larger than
that of tube. The F-H tube is located inside the solenoid, and has 5mm air interval between
them. This solenoid conguration and its paper material both dispel maximally the interference of
temperatures. The nal results verify the above advisement is eective in fact.
The F-H experiment in uniform magnetic elds is processing in the room temperature. And the
inuence of applied magnetic eld emerges complicated features in the experiment.
3.1. Dominant electric intensity
In the test, the impact of magnetic eld variation is equal to that of temperature variety. This
indicates that the applied magnetic eld results in electrons energy transferring.
During the F-H experiment, the room temperature and the heating voltage V
f
both are kept
constantly, when the accelerating voltage V
G2K
is strong enough and is increasing continually
further. There are a series of wave crests and wave troughs on the voltage-current curve, when the
emitting voltage V
G1K
and retarding voltage V
G2C
both be kept constantly.
When the magnetic ux density B increases, the mean-free-path of electron and the requested
accelerating voltage both keep the same. In the experiment, we nd that increasing the magnetic
ux density lifts up the testing curve, while each wave trough of testing curves does not shift
almost in Figure 3. This means that increasing magnetic ux density in short time enlarges the
electron kinetic energy in spite of cyclotron emission, consequently the collected current increases.
Therefore enlarging magnetic ux density is equivalent to the increasing of oven temperature, when
the accelerating electric intensity is strong enough and occupies a dominant position.
Figure 3: When the electric intensity is in a
prominent place, increasing the magnetic ux den-
sity causes the voltage-current curve to jump up.
V
f
= 3.78V, V
G1K
= 2.3V, V
G2C
= 7V . I = 6A,
7A, and 8A, and their B = 19.5mT, 23.7mT, and
26.3mT correspondingly.
Figure 4: When the magnetic ux density occupies
a dominant position, enhancing the magnetic ux
density lowers the voltage-current curve suddenly
or steadily. V
f
= 3.9V, V
G1K
= 0.7V, V
G2C
= 1V .
I = 6A, 7A, and 8A, and their B = 19.5mT,
23.7mT, and 26.3mT respectively.
3.2. Dominant magnetic ux density
However, enlarging the magnetic ux density in the F-H experiment does not always imply the
increasing of collected current, especially in weak accelerated voltages. Introducing a few necessary
processing in the test to eliminate the interference coming from oven temperature and non-uniform
magnetic eld distribution, and protrude directly the eect of uniform magnetic eld.
The room temperature, heater temperature, emitting voltage, and retarding voltage are kept
constantly in the test. The emitting voltage and accelerating voltage both are weak enough and
invariable, meanwhile the magnetic ux density occupies a dominant position. There are a series of
4
wave crests and wave troughs on the testing curve too, when the magnetic ux density is increasing
continually further.
When the accelerating electric intensity is very weak and the applied magnetic ux density
occupies a dominant position, enhancing magnetic ux density over a short period of time should
be identical with the oven temperature decreasing. In the test, we are surprised to nd that
increasing the magnetic ux density drops down the testing curve in Figure 4. This means that
increasing magnetic ux density reduces the number of electron reaching the collector. Analyzing
results recovers that the increasing magnetic ux density will enhance the electron kinetic energy
and escaping velocity. And then increasing the number of electrons escaping from the tube leads the
collected current to decrease. As a result, when the accelerating electric intensity is weak enough
and the applied magnetic ux density occupies a dominant position, enlarging magnetic ux density
is equivalent to the decreasing of oven temperature. This phenomenon can be explained partly by
the secondary electron emission, and partly by the quaternion electromagnetic theory.
4. QUATERNION ELECTROMAGNETISM
According to classic electromagnetic theory, the uniform magnetic eld has not an inuence on the
inelastic collisions of electrons with argon atoms, and on the electrons energy transferring either.
However the experiment results contradict this usual assumption. No matter how to apply the
uniform magnetic eld, either steadily or instantaneously, the collected current will appear to be
uctuated observably.
This means that applying uniform magnetic eld leads to electrons energy uctuating. But
the classic electromagnetic theory does not explain eectively why the phenomena will happen.
The research assumes that there may be one new kind of electromagnetic force component, which
results in the electrons to be accelerated continually, and then be transferred their energies.
4.1. Electromagnetic force
The quaternion was invented by W. R. Hamilton [5] in 1843, and was rst used by J. C. Maxwell
in 1861 to represent electromagnetic theory [6]. At present, the algebra of quaternions can be used
to describe either electromagnetic eld or gravitational eld.
The electromagnetic theory [7] described by quaternions predicts that there exists one new kind
of electromagnetic force component, qv
0
B , along the direction of magnetic eld line, besides the
Lorentz force etc. Here q is the electric charge, and v
0
is the speed of light. This assumed force
component will accelerate the electric charge along the direction of magnetic eld line, and then
vary the electric charges energy. While Lorentz force causes electrons to turn near the cathode but
does not change the electron energy in F-H experiment.
Figure 5: Inuence of a permanent magnet on the
collected current, when the accelerating electric
intensity is in a prominent place. B = 43mT .
V
f
= 3.42V, V
G1K
= 2.3V, V
G2C
= 7.5V .
Figure 6: Impact of the permanent magnet on the
collected current, when the magnetic ux density
occupies a dominant position. B = 43mT . V
f
=
3.95V, V
G1K
= 0.6V, V
G2C
= 1V .
4.2. Electron escaping
The inuence of applied magnetic eld in F-H experiment emerges complicated features. In the
test, the impact of magnetic eld variation is equal to that of temperature variety. This indicates
that the applied magnetic eld results in electrons energy transferring. And it also states that
5
enlarging magnetic ux density leads electrons energy to increase, when the accelerating electric
intensity is strong enough and occupies a dominant position.
In case the accelerating electric intensity occupies a dominant position, the medial electric force
is much bigger than the assumed force. The assumed force will accelerate electrons along the
magnetic eld line, and lift up the electrons energy by the interparticle collision. Accordingly, it
increases electrons number reaching the collector, and enlarges the collected current in Figure 5. In
the same time, the assumed force will cause tiny part of electrons escaping from the F-H tube along
the magnetic eld lines. Due to the electrons speed from cathode to collector are high enough, the
accelerating time is quite short, and then the number of escaping electrons is very small.
Further we lower the accelerated electric intensity while increase the magnetic ux density, it will
drop the radius component of electrons speed and increase number of escaping electrons. When
the accelerating electric intensity is low enough, the uniform magnetic eld will be in a prominent
place, the assumed force is much bigger than the medial electric force. It will accelerate electrons
and have enough time to thrust them escaping along the magnetic eld line, and then decrease
electrons number reaching the collector and cut down the collected current in Figure 6. Although
it will also increase the electrons energy to reach the collector by the interparticle collision.
The results obtained indicate that the impact of magnetic eld on the collected current in the
F-H experiment is dierent even contrary distinctly, when the accelerate electric eld and applied
magnetic eld are situated on dierent intensity stages.
5. CONCLUSIONS
In the F-H experiment, some complicated impacts of applied magnetic eld on the collected current
have been observed. Increasing the applied magnetic eld will lift up the electron kinetic energy,
and enlarge the number of escaping electrons. Consequently increasing the applied magnetic eld
has a quite strange and complex inuence on the collected current.
The impact of magnetic eld variation on the collected current in the F-H test is equal to
that of temperature variety. On the one hand, in case the accelerating electric intensity occupies
a dominant position, enlarging magnetic ux density is equivalent to increasing of temperature.
On the other hand, when the accelerating electric intensity becomes weak enough and applied
magnetic ux density is in a prominent place, enhancing magnetic ux density should be identical
with temperature decreasing.
It should be noted that the study for impacts of applied magnetic eld on F-H test examined
only some simple cases in the room temperature. Despite its preliminary characteristics, this study
can clearly indicate that the applied magnetic ux density has an inuence on the inelastic collisions
of electrons with argon atoms. For the future studies, the research will concentrate on only more
inferences about the impact of applied magnetic eld on collected currents.
ACKNOWLEDGMENT
This project was supported partially by the National Natural Science Foundation of China under
grant number 60677039.
REFERENCES
1. Franck, J. and Hertz, G., Uber Zusammenstobe zwischen Elektronen und Moleklen des Queck-
silberdampfes und die Ionisierungsspannung desselben, Verh. Dtsch. Phys. Ges., Vol. 16, 456
457, 1914. [English translation: World of the atom, edited by H. A. Boorse and L. Motz (Basic
Books, New York, 1966), Vol.I, pp.770-778.]
2. Davis, B. and Goucher, F. S., Ionization and Excitation of Radiation by Electron Impact in
Mercury Vapor and Hydrogen, Physical Review, Vol. 10, No. 2, 101115, 1917.
3. Liu, F.-H., Franck-Hertz experiment with higher excitatin level measurements, American
Journal of Physics, Vol. 55, No. 4, 366369, 1987.
4. Robson, R. E., Li, B. and White, R. D., Spatially periodic structures in electron swarms and
the Franck-Hertz experiment, Journal of Physics B: Atomic, Molecular and Optical Physics,
Vol. 33, No. 3, 507520, 2000.
5. Hamilton, W. R., Elements of Quaternions, Longmans, Green & Co., London, 1866.
6. Maxwell, J. C., A Treatise on Electricity and Magnetism, Dover Publications Inc., New York,
1954.
7. Weng, Z.-H., Electromagnetic forces on charged particles, PIERS Proceedings, 361363,
Moscow, Russia, August 18-21, 2009.